I Contracted All Ancient Divine Artifacts-Chapter 397 - 296: The Antique Merchant

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

In the dark and damp sewer.

A faint sound of footsteps echoed in the deserted place.

Soon after, gentle ripples spread, and a figure wearing a black hood stepped out of the darkness.

Lifting the hood, it was Meng Xiaobei who had escaped in the chaos earlier.

"You’re late."

Standing opposite Meng Xiaobei was another figure clad in a large black hood, completely wrapped in darkness. From the voice, one could tell he was male.

"I almost got caught! But the antique you gave me was really useful."

Meng Xiaobei recalled the previous scene and couldn’t help but sigh.

It was Han Zhan.

A formidable figure famous throughout the Great Xia North County, the new leader of Great Xia.

Being able to hold him off for ten minutes, how powerful must such an artifact be?

"Did you get the item I wanted?" The person in the black hood did not respond to Meng Xiaobei but countered.

Meng Xiaobei shook his head. "I’m still two short."

After saying this, he reached out his hand towards the person in the dark shadow.

"My identity has been locked, and future actions will only become more difficult. I need more support."

Across from him, the person in the shadows stayed silent for a while.

After a long pause, he pulled out a palm-sized wallet. As he opened it and tipped it over, jingling, clinking sounds filled the air.

Several bizarre and strange artifacts appeared on the ground.

The only commonality was that their designs and colors all appeared very ancient.

"I’ll give you ten more antiques."

"Remember, this is my final sponsorship to you. If you still can’t obtain that item, I will withdraw all my investment in you."

"I’m a businessman, not a philanthropist. I must balance profit and cost within a controllable range."

After he finished speaking, he put away the wallet and tightened the hood on his body.

Then, in the next moment, he completely merged into the darkness and disappeared.

Meng Xiaobei approached and stared at the ten ancient artifacts quietly lying on the ground, his gaze becoming resolute again.

He picked up these antique artifacts one by one and stored them away.

When he picked up the last artifact, Meng Xiaobei suddenly noticed that something brownish-yellow was still pressed underneath.

He bent down and picked it up.

In the faint light, he saw it clearly.

It was a dog’s hair.

...

"An artifact not belonging to this era?"

Bob’s analysis left Han Zhan a bit surprised.

"That’s right." The Little Dragon Man Bob affirmed.

"Is it possible that it’s a deliberate imitation by people today?" Han Zhan asked.

Bob glanced at him.

"To give an example, Can Shang Company’s combat style is extraordinary technology. They will research increasingly powerful battle machines and weapons to improve their power."

"But when have you ever seen Can Shang Company specifically imitating Great Xia, creating machines similar to Spirit Contract Masters and Contracted Spirits, then fighting with them?"

Hearing Bob say this, Han Zhan understood.

For Can Shang Company, enhancing their combat power through their strengths is already sufficient. There’s no need to imitate Great Xia and create those mismatched things.

It’s not that researching Spirit Contract Masters isn’t possible, but extraordinary technology is more cost-effective.

The same principle applies to this antique artifact.

"Artifacts on Blue Star are all made with spiritual energy circuits, conforming to the general flow of spiritual energy."

"In this respect, you can consult Dong Dachui. As an Artifact Refining Master, he’s most knowledgeable about these things."

Speaking of Dong Dachui, because he and brewer Chen Zui were sent to the Sun Never Sets Knight Order, they were the second batch to arrive in North County.

Currently, they are residing in the designated "Observation Area" with knights and Anti-Xia Alliance members who also arrived in the second batch.

"Even you can’t explain it?" Han Zhan eyed the virtual image of the Little Dragon People, leaning back tactically.

"You’re the mighty Northern County Celestial Net."

"The Celestial Net has to have records in its database. The Celestial Net also needs to keep growing!"

Bob raised his volume, angrily swishing his tail.

"It’s not that asking me is impossible, but consulting Dong Dachui is more cost-effective!"

...

Han Zhan, holding these ancient fragments, found Dong Dachui located in the observation area.

Accompanying him was someone else.

The Legion Commander of the Third War Zone, Shen Zheqi!

Ever since arriving in North County, Shen Zheqi had been busy everywhere, becoming akin to a firefighter.

First, it was the Ancient Array matters. He needed to activate the arrays in every location, then came replacing arrays and simple repairs.

He became overworked and exhausted.

This situation somewhat improved after Han Zhan brought back the River Map and Luo Book, Lin Jingxuan comprehended part of its mysteries, and the myriad grand arrays merged into a Heaven and Earth Array.

But now he’s busy leading the team to continue their old work of exploring various ruins in North County.

Getting him to make time to come here wasn’t easy.

"What’s the matter that couldn’t be discussed elsewhere?"

"I’m pressed for time, so please speak quickly; I have to return to overtime work."

Shen Zheqi, with dark circles under his eyes, looked somewhat haggard.

"Is your tomb-raiding work really this exhausting? North County has temporarily stabilized; you can also take a long holiday for yourself."

"It’s ruins exploration! Ruins exploration! Not tomb raiding?" Shen Zheqi repeatedly emphasized, then sighed.

"There’s no use; it’s been like this for years, and I’m accustomed to it."

"Giving those kids a holiday; they’re so energetic, better to let them continue ruins exploration."

Shen Zheqi had attempted giving a long holiday.

Speaking of himself, after the holiday, his hands always felt itchy, as if ants were crawling, drawn to dig holes in his yard only to fill them up again.

That’s him trying to restrain.

The combat spirit contract masters under him; some were enjoying a beach holiday, only to habitually dig a huge hole in the sand with a shovel, earning severe demerits from patrolling robots, still "undergoing remedial labor."

"Back to the main issue; what’s the reason you called me here?"

Han Zhan saw Dong Dachui also approaching from afar and threw a fragment of an ancient artifact towards each of them.

Both caught the fragments simultaneously and, upon seeing the fragments in their hands, their seasoned expressions shifted.

"Is this... an ancient artifact excavated from a ruin?"

"Remarkably unique energy circuit, not a product of this era!"

With a skilled eye, one quickly knows if it’s genuine.

Upon hearing their words, Han Zhan hurriedly asked, "Do you have any way to use this ancient artifact, or repair it?"

"Impossible (Absolutely impossible)!"

The two spoke in unison.